Portable projection screen



Feb. 2, 1965 J. A- GUSKE 3,168,134

PORTABLE PROJECTION SCREEN Filed March 8, 1962 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 IN VEN TOR.

Jimesflwke 3 MM j 6 PM Feb. 2, 1965 J. A. GUSKE 3,168,134

PORTABLE PROJECTION SCREEN Filed March 8, 1962 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Feb. 2, 1965 J. A. GUSKE 3,168,134

PORTABLE PROJECTION SCREEN Filed March 8, 1962 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 United States Patent Ofifice 3,168,134 Patented Feb. 2, 1965 poration oi Illinois Filed Mar. 8, 1962, Ser. No. 178,463 8 flaunts. (Cl. 160-24) This invention has to do with improvements in portable projection screens of the type wherein a normally vertically arranged supporting member carries a plurality of supporting legs which are movable between a collapsed position for carrying and storage purposes and an extended position for supporting purposes, wherein a handle member is carried by the supporting member, wherein a screen case, having a roller rotatab-ly mounted therein and a screen carried by the roller which is adapted to be withdrawn from the screen case to picture exhibiting, is mounted on the handle member for pivotal movement between a vertical position for carrying and storage purposes and a horizontal position for picture exhibiting purposes, wherein an extension rod is slidably carried by the supporting member, wherein a hook member is provided on the extension rod for locking the screen case in its vertical position when the extension rod is lowered and for suspending the screen in picture exhibiting position when the extension rod is raised, and wherein a locking means, such as a nipping lever, carried by the supporting member locks the extension rod in its lowered and raised positions.

The improvements of this invention include spring means carried by the supporting member for raising the extension rod from its lowered position, when the locking means is manipulated, to release the screen case for pivotal movement from its vertical position, means automatically pivotally moving the screen case from its vertical position to its horizontal position when the screen case is released, a leg latch member movably carried by the supporting member for latching the legs in collapsed position, means operated by the spring means when the extension rod is released and raised from its lowered position for automatically moving the leg latch member to release the legs from their collapsed position for movement to their extended position, and manual means for manually moving the leg latch member independently from the last-mentioned means to release the legs from their collapsed position for movement to their extended position.

By reason of this combination of improvements two modes of manipulating the portable projection screen from its collapsed condition for carrying and storage purposes to its extended condition for picture exhibiting purposes are provided. If it be desired to immediately use the portable projection screen for picture projection purpose, the locking means is manipulated and immediately the legs are automatically extended and the screen case is automatically pivoted from its vertical position to its horizontal position. On the other hand, if it be desired only to stand the portable projection screen in an upright position, the manual means for releasing the legs to extended position may be manipulated, without causing pivoting of the screen case. Thereafter, the locking means may be manipulated at any desired time for automatically pivoting the screen case from its vertical position to its horizontal position. The provision of this combination of improvements for this purpose forms one object of this invention.

Other objects of this invention reside in the construction and operation of the leg latch mechanism and in the coaction of that mechanism with the extension rod whereby the release of the legs from their collapsed position may be accomplished automatically or by manual manipulation.

A further object of this invention resides in the means for automatically swinging the screen case from its vertical position to its horizontal position, this being accomplished without the use of springs or the like and in a positive and controlled manner.

Further objects of this invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon reference to the accompanying specification, claims and drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the portable projection screen of this invention showing it in collapsed condition for carrying and storage purposes;

FIGURE 2 is a perspective view similar to FIG. 1 but showing the legs extended as the result of manual manipulation of the leg latch member;

FIG. 3 is a view similar to FIG. 1 but showing the legs extended and the screen case pivoted to the horizontal position as a result of the automatic operation of applicants invention;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged elevational view similar to FIG. 2 with portions broken away;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged sectional view illustrating the locking means or nipping lever at the upper end of the supporting member;

FIG. 6 is an enlarged sectional view taken substantially along the lines 66 of FIGS. 1 and 4 and illustrating the leg latch mechanism with the legs collapsed;

FIG. 7 is a view similar to FIG. 6 but illustrating the legs extended;

FIG. 8 is a horizontal view taken substantially along the line 88 of FIG. 6;

FIG. 9 is a perspective view of the leg latch member;

FIG. 10 is a perspective view of the link for automatically operating the leg latch member;

FIG. 11 is a horizontal sectional view taken substantially along the line 1111 of FIG. 4;

FIG. 12 is a vertical sectional view taken substantially along the lines 1212 of FIGS. 4 and 11 and illustrating the screen case in its vertical position;

FIG. 13 is a view similar to FIG. 12 but showing the screen case pivoted to an intermediate position;

FIG. 14 is a view similar to FIGS. 12 and 13 but illustrating the screen case in its horizontal position; and

FIG. 15 is a perspective view of the plate carried by the handle member which forms part of the pivotal mounting means for the screen case.

Referring first to FIGS. 1 to 4, 6 and 7, the portable projection screen of this invention is generally designated at 10. It includes a normally vertically arranged tubular supporting member 11 which may be substantially triangular configuration in cross section. A bracket 12 is slidably carried by the support member 11 and a plurality of legs 13 are pivotally secured to the bracket 12 by suitable rivets 14. As here illustrated, three legs 13 are utilized. Another bracket 15 is suitably fixedly secured to the lower end of the supporting member 11. A plurality of links 16 are pivoted to this bracket 15 by rivets 17 and to the legs 13 by rivet pins 18. The legs 13 are also provided with rivet pins 19 which lie adjacent the fixed bracket 15 when the legs 13 are in their collapsed position. Springs (not shown) are associated with the links 16 and the legs 13 adjacent the rivet pins 18 for extending the legs 13 from their collapsed position as illustrated in FIG. 1 to their extended position as illustrated in FIGS. 2 to 4. The movable bracket 12, which slides up and down the supporting member 11 as the legs are collapsed and extended, is provided with a gripping bracket 20 for pulling the bracket 12 upwardly to collapse the legs 13.

A handle member 23 is slidably mounted on the supporting member 11 and it is provided with a double act- 3 ing nipping lever having a control extension 24, this double acting nipple lever operating to lock the handle member 23 against upward and downward movement and to allow movement of the handle member 23 upwardly and downwardly when the extension 24 thereof is manually manipulated. This nipping lever construction in the handle member 23 may be like that disclosed ll;

Nicholas Patent No. 2,812,808 issued November 12., 1957.

A stop pin 25 carried by the supporting member 11 limits the downward movement of the handle member 23 with .respect to the supporting member 11.

The handle member pivotally carries a screen case 27 having end eaps'28. A spring biased roller 29 is rotatably mounted in the screen case 27 and one end of a picture plication Serial No. 604,790 filed August 17, 1956, may I be arranged within the screen case 27 for locking the roller 29 againstrotation in the unwinding directionwhen the screen 30 has been withdrawn to picture exhibiting position. The other end of the screen 30 is secured to a suspension slat 31 and a leaf spring 32 is secured at its ends to the suspension slat 31.. The center of the leaf spring 32 is provided with a bail 33 which is utilized for withdrawing the screen from the screen case 27.

The top of the supporting member 11 has a cap 36 secured thereto and extension rod 37 is slidably received in the cap 36 and the supporting member 11. The top of the extension rod '37 is provided witha hook member when the extension rod 37 is in its lowered position, for

locking the screen case in its vertical position as illustrated in FIGS. 1, 2 and 4. The hook member 38, when the extension rod 37 is raised to araised position, receives the bail 33 for suspending the screen 30 in its picture exhibiting position. The upper end of the tubularsupporting member 11 is provided with a pair of slots 39 through which extend a double acting nipping lever 40. One end of the nipping lever 40 normally abuts against a clip 41carried in the bottom of one slot 39 in the supporting member 11. The nipping lever 40 is also provided with a stop pin 42 that extends upwardly to a point adjacent to the cap '36. A spring 43 encompasses the stop pin 42 and extends between the nipping lever 40 and the cap .36. This spring normally urges the nipping lever to the position illustrated in FIG. 5 so as to lock the extension rod' 37 against upward or downward movement.

Downward movement of the extension rod 37 is prevented by the nipping lever engaging the clip 41, and

upward movement is prevented by the stop pin 42 engaging the cap 36. When, however, an extension 44 on the nipping lever 40 is manually manipulated upwardly, the nipping lever 40 releases the extension rod 37 so that it may be moved upwardly or downwardly. Thus, by manipulating the nip-ping lever 40 the extension rod 37 may be moved to a lowered position and locked in that position to cause the hook member 38 to engage the end lock in the screen case 27 to tension the screen 30 in picture exhibiting position as disclosed in the aforementioned Nicholas application Serial No'. 604,790.

Referring more particularly to FIGS. 4, 6 and 7, a pin 47 having a shoulder 48 is secured to the stationary bracket 15 by peening over the upper end thereof as indicated at 49. A pair of telescoping sleeves 50 and 51 are arranged within the tubular member 11 andthe bracket 15 and a spring 52 is interposed between the hated ends of the sleeves'to normally resiliently move them lower end of the pin 47 as indicated at 61.

a apart. The flared lower end of the sleeve 50 fits over the peened end 49 of the pin 47 for guiding the same. A link member 53 is also arranged within the supporting member 11 and the bracket 15 and it is provided at its upper end with a horizontally extending portion 54 which is engaged by the flared end of the sleeve 51. The link member 53 extends downwardly through a suitable hole in the bracket 15 and is provided at its lower end with an .arm 55. Thus, the spring 52 normally operates to move the link 53 upwardly from the position illustrated in FIG. 6 to the position illustrated in FIG. 7. However, the link member 53 may be held in its lowered position against the action of the spring 52 by the lower end of the extension rod 37 when it is locked in its lowered position for locking the screen case in its vertical position.

A rockable latch plate58 is provided with a central hole 59 which loosely receives the pin 47 carried by the stationary bracket 15. A spring 60 engages the'lower side of the latch member 58 and resilientlyholds it against the shoulder 48 on, the pin 47, the spring 60, being held in position and under compression by peening over the Thus, the spring 60 operates normally to resiliently hold the latch member 58in a substantially horizontal position. The latch member 58 is provided'with a hole 62 through which the link member 53 extends. The latch member 53 is also provided with a pair of upwardly extending hooks 63 and a downwardly extending hook 64 which receive and hold the pins 19 on the legs 13 when the legs are collapsed and the latch member is in its horizontal position, as illustrated in FIG. 6. However, when the latch 58 is rocked out of its'horizontal'position, as illustrated in FIG. 7, the hooks 63 and 64 release the pins 19 to allow the legs 13 to move from their collapsed position to their extended position. The hook member 63 is slidably received in a slot in the. bracket 15 to prevent rotative movement of the latch member 58 about the pin 47. The latch member 58 is provided with an extension 65 which may be manually, manipulated for manually rocking the latch member 58 to release the legs for movement to their extended position. This latch member 58 and the manual manipulation thereof issimilar to the latch member disclosed in Nicholas et al. Patent No. 2,899,164 issued on August 11, 1959.

The latch member 58 may also be automatically rocked from its horizontal position by the arm 55 on the link member 53. In this connection, the extension rod 37, when in its lowered position for locking the screen case 27 in its vertical position, holds the link member 53 in itsdown position, as illustrated in FIG. 6, the latch member 58 latching the legs 13 in their collapsed position. When, however, the nipping lever 40 is manipulated to release the extension rod 37, the spring 52 forces the link member 53 upwardly and the extension rod '37 upwardly. This automatic movement of the extension rod 37 upwardly. automatically releases the screen case 27 from the hook member 38. This automatic movement of the link member 53 upwardly causes the arm 55 thereof to engage the latch member 58 to rock the same, as illustrated in FIG. 7, to automatically release the legs 13 for movement to their extended position. By reason of this arrangement, illustrated in FIGS. 6 and 7, the latch member 53 may be either automatically operated or manually operated for releasing the legs 13 for movement to their extended position.

Referring now more particularly to FIGS. 11 to 15, the mounting means for mounting the screen case 27 on the handle member 23 includes a plate 68. The plate 68 has upwardly extending fingers'69 and a downwardly extending finger '70 which are received in suitable recesses in the handle member 23 for mounting the plate 68 thereon. The plate 68 also includes a flange 71 which engages one side of the handle member 23 and an ear 72 which engages the other side of the handle member 23. A screw 73 extending through the ear 72 into the gravity.

position of FIG. 13.

handle member 23 permanently secures the plate 68 in position on the handle member 23. The plate 68 is provided with a first curved or arcuate slot 74 and a second curved arcuate slot 75. The center of the radius of curvature of the first slot 74 is at the bottom end of the second slot 75, and the center of the radius of curvature of the second slot 75 is at the bottom end of the first slot 74.

A second plate 78 having an extension 79 carries the screen case 27, the screen case being secured to the plate 78 and its extension 79 by rivets 80. The plate 78, which lies flat against the plate 68, is provided with a first pin 81 and a second pin 82 which are received respectively in the first slot 74 and the second slot 75 in .the plate 68. The first pin 81 is located on one side of the center of gravity of the screen case 27 when it is in .its vertical position and the second pin 82 is located substantially at the center of gravity of the projection screen 27, as illustrated in FIG. 12.

FIG. 12 illustrates the screen case in its vertical position wherein the pin 81 is in the bottom of the curved slot 74 and the pin 82 is in the top of the curved slot 75. When the hook member 38 releases the screen case 27 for pivotal movement from its vertical position, the screen case 27 is supported by the pin 81 in the bottom of the slot 74 and, since the pin 81 is to one side of the center of gravity of the screen case 27, the screen case 27 will pivot by gravity about the pin 81. When this occurs, the pin 82 moves from the top of the curved slot 75 to the bottom thereof as the screen case pivots to an intermediate position as illustrated in FIG. 13, the pivoting of the screen case about the pin 81 being caused by In the intermediate position, as illustrated in FIG. 13, the screen case is supported by the pin 82 in the bottom of the curved slot 75 and further pivotal movement of the screen case 27 from the intermediate to its horizontal position takes place about the pin 82.

During this further pivotal movement of the screen case 27 about the pin 82, the pin 81 moves from the bottom of its curved slot 74 to the top thereof. The pin 82, as expressed above, is substantially at the center of gravity of the screen case 27 so that the further pivotal movement of the screen case from the intermediate position illustrated in FIG. 13 to its horizontal position illustrated in FIG. 14 is accomplished by the momentum of the screen case 27 resulting from its gravity movement from its vertical position in FIG. 12 to its intermediate By breaking .the pivotal movement of the screen case from its vertical position to its horizontal position into two stages, a gravity stage and a momentum stage, :the screen case is automatically swung to its horizontal position in a controlled fashion and without banging when the screen case arrives at its horizontal position. Thus, when the nipping lever at the upper end of the supporting member 11 is manipulated,

'in addition to the legs automatically moving to their extended position, the screen case automatically pivots by gravity in a controlled fashion from its vertical position to its horizontal position.

While for purposes of illustration one form of this invention has been disclosed, other forms thereof may become apparent to those skilled in the art upon reference to this disclosure and, therefore, this invention should be limited only by the scope of the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a portable projection screen including a normally vertically arranged supporting member, a plurality of supporting legs carried by the supporting member and movable between a collapsed position for carrying and storage purposes and an extended position for supporting purposes, a handle member carried by the supporting member, a screen case having a roller rotatably mounted therein and a screen carried by the roller and adapted to be Withdrawn from the screen case to picture exhibiting position, means mounting the screen case on the handle member for pivotal movement between a vertical position for carrying and storage purposes and a horizontal position for picture exhibiting purposes, an extension rod slidably carried by the supporting member, a hook member on the extension rod for locking the screen case in its vertical position when the extension rod is lowered and for suspending the screen in picture exhibiting position when the extension rod is raised, and a nipping lever carried by the supporting member and engaging the extension rod for locking the extension rod in its lowered and raised positions, the improvement comprising, spring means carried by the supporting member for raising the extension rod from its lowered position when the nipping lever is manipulated to release the screen case for pivotal movement from its vertical position, a leg latch member movably carried by the supporting member for latching the legs in collapsed position, actuating means normally disengaged from the leg latch member and operated by the spring means when the extension rod is raised from its lowered position by manipulation of the nipping lever for engaging and automatically moving the leg latch member to release the legs from their collapsed position, and manual means for manually moving the leg latch member independently from said actuating means and spring means to release the legs from their collapsed position.

2. In a portable projection screen including a normally vertically arranged supporting member, a plurality of supporting legs carried by the supporting member and movable between a collapsed position for carrying and storage purpose and an extended position for supporting purposes, a handle member carried by the supporting member, a screen case having a roller rotatably mounted therein and a screen carried by the roller and adapted to be withdrawn from the screen case to picture exhibiting position, means mounting the screen case on the handle member for pivotal movement between a vertical position for carrying and storage purposes and a horizontal position for picture exhibiting purposes, an extension rod slidably carried by the supporting member, a hook member on the extension rod for locking the screen case in its vertical position when the extension rod is lowered and for suspending the screen in picture exhibiting position when the extension rod is raised, and a nipping lever carried by the supporting member and engaging the extension rod for locking the extension rod in its lowered and raised positions, the improvement comprising, spring means carried by the supporting member for raising the extension rod from its lowered position when the nipping lever is manipulated to release the screen case for pivotal movement from its vertical position, means automatically pivotally moving the screen case from its vertical position to its horizontal position when the screen case is released, a leg latch mem ber movably carried by the supporting member for latching the legs in collapsed position, actuating means normally disengaged from the leg latch member and operated by the spring means when the extension rod is raised from its lowered position by manipulation of the nipping lever for engaging and automatically moving the leg latch member to release the legs from their collapsed position, and manual means for manually moving the leg latch member independently from said actuating means and spring means to release the legs from their collapsed position.

3. In a portable projection screen including a normally vertically arranged tubular supporting member, an extension rod telescopically slidably carried in the tubular supporting member, a nipping lever carried by the tubular supporting member and engaging the extension rod for locking the extension rod in lowered and raised positions, a bracket fixed to the lower end of the tubular supporting member, a bracket slidably mounted on the tubular member above the fixed bracket, a plurality of legs pivoted at their upper ends to the slidable bracket, a plurality of links pivotally connected between the fixed bracket and the legs intermediate the ends thereof, whereby the legs may be 'swung between a collapsed position wherein the legs lie adjacent the fixed bracket and an extended position where- 'in the legs extend outwardly fromthe fixed bracket, the

improvement comprising, pins carried by the legs adjacent the fixed bracket when the legs are in collapsed position, 1

raising the extension rod from its lowered position when the nipping lever is manipulated and the spring means released, and a link having one end interposed between the spring means and the lower end of the extension rod and at its other end adjacent to but spaced from the locking plate when the spring means is stressed by the extension rod and engaging and automatically moving the locking plate from its normal locking position to its unlocking position, when the spring means is released and the extension rod is raised from its lowered position by the spring means, to cause the hooks thereon to release the pins carried by the legs for automatically unlocking'the legs for movement to their extended position.

4. In a portable projection screen including a normally vertically arranged tubular supporting member, an extension rod teelscopically slidably carried in the tubular supporting member, a nipping lever carried by the tubular supporting member and engaging the extension rod for locking the extension rod in lowered and raised positions, a bracket fixed to the lower end of the tubular supporting member, a bracket slidably mounted on the tubular member above the fixed bracket, a plurality of legs pivoted at their upper ends to the slidable bracket, a plurality of links pivotally connected between the fixed bracket and the legs intermediate the ends thereof, whereby the legs maybe swung between a collapsed position wherein the legs lie adjacent the fixed bracket and an extended position wherein the legs extend outwardly from the fixed bracket, the improvement comprising, pins carried by the legs adjacent the fixed bracket when the legs are in collapsed position, a locking plate, means including resilient means movably and resiliently mounting the locking plate on the fixed bracket for movement between a normal locking position and an unlocking position, a plurality of books carried by the locking plate for receiving the pins carried by the legs when the legs are in their collapsed position and the locking plate is in its normal locking position for locking the legs in collapsed position, spring means interposed between the fixed bracket and the lower end of the extension rod and stressed by the extension rod for automatically raising the extension rod from' its lowered position when the nipping lever is manipulated and the spring means released, and a link having one end interposed between the spring means and the lower end of the extension rod and its other end adjacent to but spaced from the locking plate when the spring means is stressed by the extension rod and engaging and automatically moving the locking plate from its normal locking position to its unlocking position, when the spring means is released and the extension rod is raised from its lowered position by the spring means, to cause the hooks thereon to release the pins carried by the legs for automatically unlocking the legs'for movement to their extended position, and a manually operated projection on therlocking plate for manually moving the locking plate from its normal locking position to its unlocking position independently from said link and spring means for manually unlocking the legs for movement to their extended position.

5. In a portable projection screen including a normally vertically arranged tubular supporting member, an extension rod telescopically slidably carried in the tubular supporting member, a nipping lever carried'by the tubutions, a bracketfixedlto the lower end of the' tubular supporting member, a bracket slidably mounted on the tubular member above the fixed bracket, a plurality of legs pivoted at their upper ends to the slidable bracket, a

plurality of links pivotally connected between the fixed bracket and the legs intermediate the endsthereof, whereby the ;legs may be swung between a collapsed position wherein the legs lie adjacent the fixed bracket and anextended position wherein the legs extend outwardly from the fixed bracket, the improvement comprising, pins carried bythe legs adjacent the fixed bracket when the legs are in collapsed position, a locking plate, means resiliently and rockingly mounting the locking plate on the fixed bracketrwith the locking plate res'ilientlyurged to a position normal to the vertical axis of the tubular supporting member but rockable out of said normal position, upwardly facing and downwardly facing hooks formed on the locking plate and receiving the pins carried by the legs when the legs are in collapsed position and the locking plate is in said normal position 'for locking the legs in collapsed position, spring means interposed betweenthe fixed bracket and thelower end of'the extension rod and stressed by the extension rod and automatically raising the extension rod from 'its'lowered position when the nipping lever is manipulated and the spring means released, and a'link having one end interposed between the 7 spring means and the, lower end of the extension rod and its other end below and adjacent to but spaced from the locking plate when the spring means is stressed by the extension rod and engaging and automatically rockingthe locking plate out of its said normal position, when the spring means is released and the extension rod is raised I porting member, a bracket slidably mounted on the tubular member above the fixed bracket, a plurality of legs p1voted at their upper ends to the slidable bracket, a plurality'of links pivotally connected betweenthe fixed bracket and thelegs intermediate the ends thereof, whereby the legs may be swung between a collapsed position wherein the legs lie adjacent the fixed bracket and an "ried by the legs adjacent the fixed bracket when the legs are in collapsed position, a locking plate, means resiliently and'rockingly mounting the locking plate on the fixed bracket with the locking plate resiliently urged to a position normal to the vertical axis of the tubular supporting member but rockable out of said normal position, upwardly facing and downwardly facing hooks formed on the locking plate and receiving the pins carried bythe legs when the legsare in collapsed position and the lockng plate is in said normal position for locking the legs 1n collapsed position, spring means interposed between the fixed bracket and the lower end of the extensionrod and stressed by the extension rod and automatically raisingthe extension rod from its lowered position when the nipping'lever is manipulated and the spring means released, and a link having one end interposed betweenthe spring means and the lower end of the extension rod and its other end below and adjacent to but spaced from the locking plate when the spring means is stressed by the extension rod and engaging and automatically rocking the locking plate out of its said normal position, when the spring means is released and the extension rod is raised from its lowered position by the spring means, to cause the upwardly and downwardly facing hooks thereon to release the pins carried by the legs for automatically unlocking the legs for movement to their extended position, and a manually operated projection on the locking plate for manually rocking the locking plate out of its said normal position independently from said link and spring means for manually unlocking the legs for move ment to their extended position.

7. In a portable projection screen including a norrnally vertically arranged supporting member, a handle member carried by the supporting member, a screen case having a roller mounted screen therein, mounting means mounting the screen case on the handle member for pivotal movement between a vertical position and a horizontal position, and locking means for releasably locking the screen case in its vertical position, the improvement wherein said mounting means comprises, a plate carried by the screen case and provided with first and second pins which are horizontally arranged with the first pin off center to one side of the center of gravity of the screen case when the screen case is in its vertical position and which are vertically arranged when the screen case is in its horizontal position, and a plate carried by the handle member and provided with first and second curved slots therein slidably receiving the first and second pins respectively, the radius of curvature of the first slot being at the bottom end of the second slot and the radius of curvature of the second slot being at the bottom end of the first slot, the off center first pin being located at the bottom of the first slot for supporting the screen case and the second pin being located at the top of the second slot when the screen case is in its vertical position, said screen case, when released by the locking means, pivotally moving by gravity from its vertical position to its horizontal position, first by pivoting about the first pin in the bottom end of the first slot with the second pin moving from the top end of the second slot to the bottom end thereof, and second by pivoting about the second pin in the bottom of the second slot with the first pin moving from the bottom of the first slot to the top thereof.

8. In a portable projection screen including a normally vertically arranged supporting member, a plurality of supporting legs carried by the supporting member and movable between a collapsed position for carrying and storage purposes and an extended position for supporting purposes, a handle member carried by the supporting member, a screen case having a roller rotatably mounted therein and a screen carried by the roller and adapted to be withdrawn from the screen case to picture exhibiting position, means mounting the screen case on the handle member for pivotal movement between a vertical position for carrying and storage purposes and a horizontal position for picture exhibiting purposes, an extension rod slidably carried by the supporting member, a hook member on the extension rod for locking the screen case in its vertical position when the extension rod is lowered and for suspending the screen in picture exhibiting position when the extension rod is raised, and a nipping lever carried by the supporting member and engaging the extension rod for locking the extension rod in its lowered and raised positions, the improvement comprising, spring means carried by the supporting member for raising the extension rod from its lowered position when the nipping lever is manipulated to release the screen case for pivotal movement from its vertical position, said mounting means including a pair of pivot connections between the screen case and handle member for automatically pivoting by gravity the screen case, when released by the hook member, about one of said pivot connections from its vertical position to an intermediate position and about the other of said pivot connections from the intermediate position to its horizontal position, a leg latch member movably carried by the supporting member for latching the legs in collapsed position, actuating means normally disengaged from the leg latch member and operated by the spring means when the extension rod is raised from its lowered position by manipulation of the nipping lever for engaging and automatically moving the leg latch member to release the legs from their collapsed position, and manual means for manually moving the leg latch rnember independently from said actuating means and spring means to release the legs from their collapsed position.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,659,559 Du Mais Nov. 17, 1953 2,845,244 Prokop July 29, 1958 2,867,839 Squire Jan. 13, 1959 2,899,164 Nicholas et al Aug. 11, 1959 3,001,225 Squire Sept. 26, 1961 3,022,816 Petrick et al Feb. 27, 1962 FOREIGN PATENTS 842,662 France June 16, 1932 

1. IN A PORTABLE PROJECTION SCREEN INCLUDING A NORMALLY VERTICALLY ARRANGED SUPPORTING MEMBER, A PLURALITY OF SUPPORTING LEGS CARRIED BY THE SUPPORTING MEMBER AND MOVABLE BETWEEN A COLLAPSED POSITION FOR CARRYING AND STORAGE PURPOSES AND AN EXTENDED POSITION FOR SUPPORTING PURPOSES, A HANDLE MEMBER CARRIED BY THE SUPPORTING MEMBER, A SCREEN CASE HAVING A ROLLER ROTATABLY MOUNTED THEREIN AND A SCREEN CARRIED BY THE ROLLER AND ADAPTED TO BE WITHDRAWN FROM THE SCREEN CASE TO PICTURE EXHIBITING POSITION, MEANS MOUNTING THE SCREEN CASE ON THE HANDLE MEMBER FOR PIVOTAL MOVEMENT BETWEEN A VERTICAL POSITION FOR CARRYING AND STORAGE PURPOSES AND A HORIZONTAL POSITION FOR PICTURE EXHIBITING PURPOSES, AND EXTENSION ROD SLIDABLY CARRIED BY THE SUPPORTING MEMEBR, A HOOK MEMBER ON THE EXTENSION ROD FOR LOCKING THE SCREEN CASE IN ITS VERTICAL POSITION WITH THE EXTENSION ROD IS LOWERED AND FOR SUSPENDING THE SCREEN IN PICTURE EXHIBITING POSITION WHEN THE EXTENSION ROD IS RAISED, AND A NIPPING LEVER CARRIED BY THE SUPPORTING MEMBER AND ENGAGING THE EXTENSION ROD FOR LOCKING THE EXTENSION ROD IN ITS LOWERED AND RAISES POSITIONS, THE IMPROVEMENT COMPRISING, SPRING MEANS CARRIED BY THE SUPPORTING MEMBER FOR RAISING THE EXTENSION ROD FROM ITS LOWERED POSITION WHEN THE NIPPING LEVER IS MANIPULATED TO RELEASES THE SCREEN CASE FOR PIVOTAL MOVEMENT FROM ITS VERTICAL POSITION, A LEG LATCH MEMBER MOVABLE CARRIED BY THE SUPPORTING MEMBER FOR LATCHING THE LEGS IN COLLAPSED POSITION, ACTUATING MEANS NORMALLY DISENGAGED FROM THE LEG LATCH MEMBER AND OPERATED BY THE SPRING MEANS WHEN THE EXTENSION ROD IS RAISED FROM ITS LOWERED POSITION BY MANIPULATION OF THE NIPPING LEVER FOR ENGAGING AND AUTOMATICALLY MOVING THE LEG LATCH MEMBER TO RELEASE THE LEGS FROM THEIR COLLAPSED POSITION, AND MANUAL MEANS FOR MANUALLY MOVING THE LEG LATCH MEMBER INDEPENDENTLY FROM SAID ACTUATING MEANS AND SPRING MEANS TO RELEASE THE LEGS FROM THEIR COLLAPSED POSITION. 